The Titans have activated offensive lineman Dillon Radunz from the PUP list, the team announced. That means that Radunz has passed a physical, which is rather a significant development for a player that tore his ACL a little over eight months ago.
Nonetheless, head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters, including Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, that recent acquisition Chris Hubbard remains in line to start the year at right tackle (Nicholas Petit-Frere was initially ticketed for that role, but his six-game gambling suspension will require at least a temporary change of plans). Radunz, who was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft with the expectation that he would serve as a long-term OT, presumably would have been the top choice to fill in for Petit-Frere if not for his injury.
Radunz, 25, started just one game in his rookie campaign as he learned and developed behind former right tackle David Quessenberry. Although Quessenberry signed with the Bills in the 2022 offseason, Tennessee picked Petit-Frere in the third-round of that year’s draft, and he ultimately beat out Radunz for the RT post. Radunz was therefore relegated to a reserve role, and while he did end up starting four games last season — splitting his time just about equally between left guard and right guard — he received an abysmal 40.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (though to be fair, he did earn a terrific 78.1 pass-blocking mark).
Vrabel made it clear that Radunz would be eased back into action. Eventually, the North Dakota State product may have a chance to once again vie for the right tackle job, or perhaps for the right guard spot that still appears unsettled, but that will not happen right away.